Thursday, October 23, 2014

My day yesterday was marked by the same experience shared by all Canadians: shock and horror at the tragic events in Ottawa. I might have surrendered to the natural temptation to fear before the ugly face of evil, were it not for another experience that announced hope. Earlier in the day I attended a community breakfast in support of the Alberta Association of Community Living. There I heard wonderful stories of hope. People carrying crosses of unbearable weight due to family members suffering severe disabilities shared how they found hope from members of the community banding together to help them and give much needed support.

The contrast between the two experiences was striking, and reminded me of what the Christian tradition has long held and taught: Light and darkness are not of equal weight. Light dispels darkness and hope banishes fear. Light and hope have come to the world in Jesus Christ, and they are made both visible and tangible when people come together to overcome evil and suffering by the power of good. That is the lesson of the dying and rising of Jesus and we do well to remember it. In that light, we dare to live without fear.

Monday, October 20, 2014

Nice to have if you can get it. Most of us have citizenship in only one country. Rarely, a person may have citizenship in another at the same time. In an important sense, though, dual citizenship is not as unusual as one might think. In fact, the Scripture readings of this past Sunday teach us that God wills dual citizenship for all of his people. While we belong to countries in the earthly realm, we are called at the same time to citizenship in the heavenly, in what we call the kingdom of God.

Citizenship entails responsibilities. We pay taxes, we participate in the political process, we craft and obey laws, etc. What about citizenship in the Kingdom of heaven? Naturally there are responsibilities incumbent upon us in that sphere also.

God's kingdom has come to us in the person of Jesus Christ. In virtue of our union with him - a union brought about by faith, repentance and baptism, we are drawn into that kingdom, even if only partially during our sojourn on earth, and are thus called to assume its responsibilities. We know these from the teaching of Jesus: love God and neighbour, have faith in Jesus, live a life of holiness, accept the call to evangelize.

Even though we know our duties as citizens, sometimes these responsibilities are not met. People will try to reduce the amount they pay in tax, sometimes even to the point of cheating; at times people do not even cast votes at election time, and we know from a drive around town that traffic laws are not always followed. Is there a similar shirking of responsibility as citizens of God's kingdom?

This is precisely what is at issue in the encounter between Jesus and the Pharisees and Herodians recounted in Sunday's Gospel (cf. Matthew 22: 15-21). They are trying to trap him with the question of payment of taxes to Caesar. If Jesus were to reply that it is not required that the tax be paid, he could have been brought up on charges of sedition; had he encouraged the payment of tax he would have lost credibility in the minds of many who hated the emperor and the oppression brought upon them by the Romans. Jesus deflects the question easily (give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar) and then takes it to a deeper level: give to God what belongs to God.

What belongs to God is the entirety of our lives. His claim upon us is absolute. Citizenship in this kingdom means the surrender of all into the hands of Jesus, in whom God's kingdom has broken into human history. The enemies of Jesus demonstrated their unwillingness to live as such citizens. They sought to keep Jesus at bay, even to the point of seeking to have him arrested and killed. They did not want to accept the radical change in their lives that would be the inevitable consequence of accepting and following Jesus.

What about us? Are we also keeping Jesus away, hesitant to accept his call to conversion? Are we afraid to live authentically as his disciples and thus as citizens of his kingdom? There is absolutely no reason to fear Jesus and his call. Discipleship is beautiful, and the acceptance here and now of the responsibilities incumbent upon us as citizens of his kingdom bring a joy and peace for ourselves and others far beyond the reach of any earthly power.

This picture shows one of the panels on the holy door at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. I have always loved it, and it speaks beautifully of the Good Shepherd reaching out to save the lost. That's the reason for hope.

About Me

Richard W. Smith was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia on April 28, 1959, and ordained to the priesthood on May 23, 1987. He was appointed Bishop of Pembroke on April 27, 2002. On March 22, 2007, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him to the Metropolitan See of Edmonton. In 2009 he was elected vice-president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops.